Iowa Knights Again Support Annual Iowa Seminarians’ Convocation

Seminarians from across the State of Iowa gathered 9-11 August 2013 for a weekend of fellowship and fraternity.

“Anymore, there is a wide range in the ages and experiences of our seminarians,” said Father Brad Pelzel, Vocations Director for the Diocese of Sioux City. “There is a strengthening of the brotherhood of the priesthood across diocesan lines with similar situations. This is another way of helping the guys relate to other priests.”

Events for the annual convocation were held at Holy Spirit Church, the Bishop Greteman Center, and Santa Maria Winery in Carroll. The four Iowa dioceses take turns hosting the weekend. Throughout the weekend, the seminarians prayed together and participated in the Mass on Saturday and Sunday. There was also social time in which the seminarians played games and sat around and talked. “There was bother an establishing of bonds of friendship and a reestablishing of past bonds of friendship amongst the guys,” Father Pelzel said.

Support

The Iowa Knights of Columbus put forth the money to pay for this weekend and have done so for more than 20 years, Father Pelzel pointed out.

“Between the cost of the seminarian convocation and other vocational events they fund, direct payments they make to the diocese and to the seminarians in the form of gifts, there is over $100,000 that the Iowa Knights put towards vocations every year,” he said.